Christmas Service

You all sounded really good today!

Congratulations, Zoey, for passing your grade 2 violin.

Christmas Service

We are open today with few pupils attending because of transport not running.

We still need to prepare for the Christmas Service on Wednesday, P2. There will be a rehearsal tomorrow and Wednesday P1 so please take your instruments.

The orchestra will play two carols and Patapan.

Woodwind group will perform the pieces we played on Thursday with Mr Fryer and backing tracks.

Vocal group will lead the singing of Once in Royal David's City and Hark The Herald.

Lauren will sing solo. Fleur will play piano.

Rehearsals will be held in the auditorium Tuesday and Wednesday during P1.

Snow day #4

Hello Everyone,

I hope you are safe and warm as we have yet more snow and disruption to school.

Use you time wisely and prepare for your exams.

Advanced Higher and Higher folks-see my comments from yesterday below.

Henry-Use the time to prepare your guitar and bass guitar pieces. Practice loads and use the backing tracks. Learn concepts associated with Sonata Form from the powerpoint we used yesterday. Back this up with reading and revision from History of Music.

Isobel-See my comment on Sonata Form above. You will need to do this as well. Practice your singing and take account Miss Henderson's advice. Practice your percussion pieces on the glock.

S4 Standard Grade
As you know, your performing exam could be 15th February. You must make sure your programme is carefully prepared now and it should have dynamic contrast. Use backing tracks if you have them. Singers must not use words and sing from memory.

Your compositions are on the computers at school and so you should spend time studying Int1 and 2 concepts on Learn Listening Online.

S3 Standard Grade

You were asked to have your performance of Merry Christmas Everybody ready today so we could record it. We will do this on Tuesday (weather permitting). Keyboards must practice both hands and guitarists and bass guitarists must make sure they use the correct right hand finger technique. The chorus should be louder. Make sure you can play the whole of your part and pay attention to section E and F.

S1 and 2

If you have taken your folder home, continue to practice the piece you are working on. This could be Jingle Bells or Santa Claus is Comin' to Town. Some of you have chosen different songs and a few of you are learning Rudolph and Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree.

Performance for the Lunch Club

We had great fun today! Well done to everyone who performed.

Higher Snow Disruption

Ashleigh-Continue to practice your keyboard and singing, taking on board your targets. Work through Classical powerpoint 2 (starts with sonata form) in conjuction with Learn Listening Online.

Regan-Practice your songs and glockenspiel pieces. Work through Classical powerpoint 2 (starts with sonata form) in conjuction with Learn Listening Online.

Woodwind in the Church

Well done to Aimee, Rachel and Julia who played Christmas music with Mr Fryer in Aberlour Church on Saturday afternoon. It was great fun and the people in the church appreciated your playing.

Snow disruption - S6

We anticipated disruption again this week and we managed to set your targets for the week.

Eugene-Guitar practice required to get those pieces up to sctratch for your prelim. Bass pieces too. Continue with your commentary. Start to write it up and choose your manuscript excepts. Spend two half hour chunks on Learn Listening Online. Revise Classical concepts and practice questions. Your are still working on ideas for your second composition. Continue with this.

Nicol-Make a start on those three drum pieces from Drums Live. Continue to practice your piano everyday and aim for fluency. Continue to write up your commentary. You are on the right track. Use the example to help you. See Eugene's comment about Learn Listening Online and do the same. If you managed to take home a laptop, then start to develop some of your ideas. Think about changes you can make.

Hope your Christmas party went well last night at school!

String and woodwind groups

The next rehearsals for these groups will be held on 19th January 2011.

Lunch Club

Weather permitting, we will be entertaining members of The Lunch Club on Thursday 16 December 2010 in the community lounge. Hopefully we will have no more disruption due to the snow! Let me know if you would like to perform at this.

Christmas in Music

As well as our extra curricular performances (some of which have been cancelled due to the weather) we are playing a variety of Christmas tunes during class time.

S1 and S2 are concentrating on developing their performing skills with tunes such as Jingle Bells, Jingle Bell Rock, Rudolph, Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town and Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree. We will try some composing and listening activities. Music, as always, is available for home practice.

S3 have been putting together their own version of Airplanes and are learning Merry Christmas Everybody for their group performance piece. Home practice is essential if we are to record perfomances of this before Christmas. Targets are noted in homework planners. Keyboard players should be learning to play their part with both hands.

S4,5 and 6 continue to meet deadlines and work for prelims and assessments.

Music Centre

Rehearsals are cancelled tomorrow 4 December

Christmas Concert-CANCELLED

Unfortunately, we have to cancel the Christmas Concert. This is the first time we have had to do this. The weather has disrupted rehearsals, S4 have had prelims extended into next week and the forecast is for yet more snow and cold. Because of this, we will now have a concert in spring time when the weather improves. The Christmas Service will have more music and we will think about a performance during the day if this is practical. I know many of you will be disappointed (as I am) and you have been working hard. However, we will provide other opportunities for you to perform this Christmas.

Performance at Christmas Fair at Dufftown- CANCELLED

Unfortunately, we have had to take the decision to cancel our performance at Dufftown on Sunday 28th November. The weather forecast is poor for the weekend, the Christmas Fair has also been cancelled on Saturday and the school was closed early on Friday. I know you will be disappointed as you have worked very hard preparing for this performance. I hope you will understand that the poor weather presented us with too much of a risk to go ahead with this extra curricular event.

Children in Need Lunchtime Concert

Well done to all involved and thank you to Eugene and Nicol for organising it. The performers were fab and the audience great.

Newsletter

A letter has been posted out to parents and carers telling them about our busy performing schedule over the next few weeks. If you haven't received a letter you can collect one from the music department.

Children in Need

Eugene and Nicol are organising a band gig in the auditorium at lunchtime on Friday, 19 November. If you haven't already signed up there is still time to do so. The list is near to the music department noticeboard.

Rembrance Assembly

Well done to Aileen Erginsoy who played The Last Post so beautifully.

Moray Music Centre Concerts

The concerts for Saturday Music Centre will be in Elgin Town Hall on Saturday, 11 December 2010. The junior concert starts at 12 noon and the senior concert start at 2pm.

Strathallan Play Away Day- 21 November 2010

The Scottish Schools Orchestra Trust are offering a one day workshop in orchestral and wind band playing for children aged 8 years and above, or grade 2 standard and above. This is due to be held at Strathallan School, near Perth on Sunday 21 November between 10am and 4pm. Application forms are available from the music department.

NYCoS National Girls Choir and National Boys Choir 2011

The National Girls Choir is for girls aged between 12-16 from all over Scotland. The choir rehearses at Loretto School, Musselburgh on 14-19 April 2011. The Boys choir also meets at Loretto School between 4 and 9 April. The closing date for applications for auditions is Friday 26 November 2010. If you are interested, collect an application form for the Music department.

S1 Homework

Auld lang Syne music is available for all of you have instruments at home to practice.

S2 Concert

Well done and congratulations to all of you for performing so well at yesterday's lunchtime concert!

S1

S1 pupils are settling in very well! They have chosen an instrument to play and have learned Super Trouper very quickly.

Christmas Concert

Although we are not yet at the October holidays we have been thinking about Christmas in the music department! Some of you have said you would like to perform at the Christmas concert. Others may wish to perform as well - let me know. Orchestra starts next week (Wednesday 29th September) to coincide with study club. The woodwind and string groups have been rehearsing on a Wednesday lunchtime. Miss Henderson leads the vocal group on a Tuesday. We will have a busy run up to Christmas!

Whiskey Festival at Dufftown on Saturday

To all performers who will be taking part we will meet at 1.45pm in the hall at Dufftown. Remember to wear you school uniform. Mrs Lewtas will be joining us. Our performance should be finished by 3pm.

Sponsored Walk Concert

A fantastic afternoon with so many of you wanting to perform and a big audience. Well done to you all!

Sponsored Walk Concert

Concert this afternoon after the walk! Starts at 2pm in the auditorium. Ramsey will be performing again and so will bands from S3-6 be on stage.

Aberlour Food Festival

Well done to you all for you performances on Friday afternoon. You all really deserved that cupcake!

Vocal group

Miss Henderson meets with the vocal group during Tuesday lunchtime. Pupils from all ages come together to enjoy singing. All welcome.

Food Festival

We will be playing at the Food Festival on Friday 10 September. Rember to wear your school uniform and return your slips to the music department as soon as possible.

Guitar Lessons

Unfortunately, guitar lessons are cancelled until further notice.

Orchestra

Orchestra rehearsals have been delayed to coincide with study club. This will allow you to access transport home on a Wednesday evening. I am sceduled to attend a meeting during the first study club therefore orchestra will start on 29 September. All players are welcome whether you have tuition in school or privately. we will start rehearsing for the Christmas Concert.

Woodwind Tuition

My Fryer, woodwind instructor, has a limited amount of spaces available to S1 pupils. If you would like to audition for a place please return the slip at the bottom of the letter which gives you information about woodwind tuition to the music department.

Next session

We are planning a busy year and hope to see as many of you as we can taking part in our lunchtime and after school groups. The groups will help you develop your confidence and skills. We will be running a choir/vocal group, ceilidh band, jazz band, string group and orchestra. And, of course, all of the bands in school can have the chance to use the facilities to rehearse if the rooms are free!

End of Session Ceremony

Well done to all performers taking part in the ceremony. String Quartet, Yasmin Erginsoy, S1 and S2 performers-you all performed very well.

Listening exams

Good luck to everyone sitting a listening exam tomorrow!

S1 Music

We are finishing presenting our information on Scottish artists, and, in particular, those associated with Traditional music. Presentations have been of a high standard and many different artists have now been discovered! We are now learning to play 500 Miles by The Proclaimers and most classes have just started. Music is always available for home practice.

S2 Music

Pupils have been asking to learn Journey's Don't Stop Believin' and the class bands are sounding good! We are now starting to play The Final Countdown but requests are still coming in for pieces they would like to play. As always, pupils can take home their music to practice.

Advanced Higher Exam

Your performing exam will be held on the morning of the 14th May 2010.

Rotary Awards

Congratuations to James Cordiner, Mary McDowall, Erin Taylor, Craig Wilson, Ruaridh McIntosh-Turner and Isla Van Der Heiden who performed so well at the Rotary Awards on 20 April 2010.

X Factor

We are off to Aberdeen tomorrow to see the X Factor on tour in Aberdeen. Forty pupils will be accompanied by Mr Mckay and Mrs Main.

S1 Music

We have been learning to play or sing 'Skye Boat Song' and 'Auld Lang Syne'. All classes are improving their perfomances and have been composing another melody to fit with 'Skye Boat Song'.

S2 Music

We have been composing using chords and now S2 are playing and singing 'Rockin' All Over The World'. All classes are sounding good! Music, as always, can be taken home for practice.

Snow Day

Standard Grade, Intermediate 2 and Higher pupils: Keep working hard at your pieces. Your exam is now two weeks away. Make sure you include dynamics and that you capture the mood and the character of the music.

Scottish Schools Orchestra Trust

The Scottish Schools Orchestra Trust's 25th Residential Acivity Holiday is to be held at Dunblane between 12-18th July 2010. If you are an orchestral or wind band player and are aged 9-15 you can apply to take part. Forms and further information can be found in the practice rooms.

Performing Exams

Higher, Int 2 and Standard Grade exams will take place on the 10th and 11th March. A timetable will be posted on the music department noticeboard. Work hard and practice your pieces.

Music Factory with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra

James Cordiner and Erin Taylor have completed their composition and will meet again with Alasdair Nicolson and players from the orchestra this week.

Assembly

Congratulations to Erin Taylor who performed very well at this morning's assembly.